The family of an autistic teen shot dead by a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy Oct. 4 is calling the agency's handling of the case criminal.

Lawyers of Michael Camberdella's family are planning to file a civil lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office, saying the agency hasn't brought criminal charges against the deputy in the three months since the shooting.

"We intend on bringing a civil prosecution," said Harry Shevin, a lawyer of Domnick & Shevin, P.L., "so that Michael does not die in vain and so that this type of thing doesn't happen to another child."

Shevin then blasted Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, claiming he used the shooting as "public relations" opportunity to show support for his deputies.

"The night of the death, despite not having done any investigation, Sheriff Bradshaw went to a knee jerk reaction, defending his deputy, which showed a culture of condoning this type of violence and behavior," said Shevin. "It's kind of like the fox guarding the henhouse when you have the sheriff investigating his own deputy."

Shevin said the Camberdella family is also urging Bradshaw to open an independent investigation into the shooting.

Sheriff's Office officials have remained tight-lipped since the shooting death.

"It's still open," said Sheriff's Office Spokeswoman Teri Barbera. "By law, we can't comment on an investigation that's still open."

Deputies say the incident began with a 9:30 a.m. phone call to the sheriff's office on Oct. 4: a domestic disturbance in the 9000 block of Tremezzo Lane, west of Boynton Beach.

Dispatchers allegedly heard a struggle in the background. Deputies say it was Camberdella fighting with his mother. Records show the teen had a history of violence and mental issues

A patrolling deputy, identified as William L. Goldstein, had just set his course for the neighborhood when a second call came in — Camberdella, armed with a hammer, also had his mother in a chokehold.

Bradshaw later told reporters that Goldstein – a four-year veteran who had never been involved in a shooting – didn't know if the teen's mother was alive or dead when he confronted Camberdella. He felt threatened and that he had to defend himself.

Goldstein pulled the trigger six times.

Shevin said the Sheriff's account of the shooting is inaccurate, claiming the teen was unarmed.

"It was clearly a wrongful death and something that was avoidable and should have been prevented," said Shevin, adding that he planned to mail Bradshaw notice of the lawsuit before Monday.

Linda Camberdella, Michael's mother, said the first holiday season without her son has been devastating.

"I have to seek my son's justice – for him, for me, for my girls, for my husband," Linda Camberdella said. "I need this to move forward. They've been sitting on this for three months and nothing's been done, nothing's been said ... it's like it just didn't happen to them."